the bippy

day 239 - 249 (world series recap)

world series photo album

i am very blessed.  lee and i just returned from the 2011 world series in chicago, and we had a marvelous time.  i am blessed because i was lucky enough this year to play with the best group of guys.  a group that was not only very talented, but also so supportive of each other, fighting for each other until there were no more innings left.  i am blessed to have a partner that has supported my desperate need to abuse my body so terribly over the last 10 years.  as a team we were blessed with all of the people who supported us and made this dream season possible.

because writing a full recap would almost be impossible, here are the bullets (beware there are a few inside jokes here):

• chicago is stunning (fr0m architecture, and pro baseball, to chicago deep dish, the city never fails to impress)
• waterfalls
• the hyatt at the airport was a very strange host hotel (no pool...$12 drinks...the feeling that their should be slot machines everywhere)
• driving (holy crap there was driving)
• portland teams really pulling for each other (community means more than rivalry...good to see)
• splash some pickle juice on their face!
• tra snow really bringing the D
• a shade tent that only proved shade if you didn't sit under it
• new friends
• two of the three complexes didn't serve beer (wonder how coors light feels about that)
• rain delays for both white sox and cubs game
• the cubs are bad
• so many friends, from so many years (lee and i look forward to world series every year for the simple reason that it put so many of the people we love in one place)
• the chicago art institute (what an amazing museum)
• slap 'em in the face with your pickle!
• disappointment (with understanding)
• relief that it is over for another year

day 236 (bullets for sentimentality)

i am sentimental on my own terms...i don't keep birthday cards, i rarely peruse through old photo books (windows folders), and i tend to go through everything i own on yearly basis and throw away the things that i haven't looked at in a year.  i would venture a guess this is why my mother has kept my baby book at their house, instead of giving it to me.

but, and this is a tremendously large but, i am very sentimental when it comes to certain things.  here is a list of things that get me all misty.

• sports movies (the scene in the sandlot when the boys are disappearing as they move away, always makes cry...can't help it.  so many happy memories of sun-baked afternoons spent with my brother and friends doing something as simple as playing catch.  the joy of life distilled.)
• my husband and partner (the fact that he has been willing to give me the last 13 years of his life always makes me smile with wonder...the love, devotion, and effort that it takes to sustain 13 years is more than worthy of sentimental feelings...the next 13 will be even better)
• this song has been choking me up for over 20 years now (the video is intensely cheesy, but still gets to me.  being brothers is sometimes difficult, sometimes dangerous, but always amazing.  to be fair though, i am much better with a mitt than my brother)
• bravery and loyalty (i have been unlucky enough to watch people i love struggle with great adversity...i have been lucky enough to watch those same people fight against great odds with great cost and find away to not only stay positive, but also come out victorious.  you are all an incredible inspiration)

 

day 89

rocked the plate lunch special with my ever-excellent husband!!!

day 88

one can never be too prepared, don't ya think?

day 86

end of a nice weekend...lee and the little hurricane watching tv.

day 85

holy rockin rose garden...last night's game was one for the ages. now, if the blazers can find a way to play with the same urgency that they played in the last 2 minutes, they would be a championship team or at least closer to it.

day 83

just a little more gaiman love to get you through the day.

day 78

Val got to meet the other frenchies...get your puppy on!

day 71

Lee and I are in the kitchen making biscuits and grave and little Val's nose is going crazy. Ok, Lee is making the food and I am just standing here watching for the mist part.

day 55

explored more of barcelona today and now lee and i are both nursing blisters. also got our paella on at the famous eatery, 7 portes...so yummy.